What is Coaching, Anyway?

If you want to understand coaching, take the mental images you have of mentoring, counseling, or consulting-and put them aside! Coaching is completely different.

The first difference you'll notice when you work with a coach is that coaches are truly great listeners. That's because the focus of the coaching conversation isn't on what the coach has to tell you, but on what the coach can draw out of you. Coaches believe that if we simply listen intently and ask intelligent questions, God will lead you to great insights and effective solutions to the challenges you face. You'll be amazed at what a great coach can draw out of you.

Soon you'll also observe that coaches are masters at the art of asking questions. It is hard to think something through on your own (especially if it is an emotionally-charged issue), but it is amazing how much clearer your course becomes with someone asking you the right questions. The extensive training coaches receive in the asking skills is the key to unlocking what God has placed in your heart.

You'll also figure out early on that your coach is not a "teller" or an advice-giver. Coaches don't tell you what to do because we respect the stewardship God has given you over your own life. The coaching approach is based on three core values: that the process of change starts with God (and not with the coach!), that working with your internal motivation (instead of using guilt or pressure) and helping you take responsibility for your life maximizes growth, and that believing in you is tremendously empowering.

The Coach’s Role  

Coaches do two primary things: they help you think things through, and they help you get things done. Coaches help you think by letting you freely explore your own ideas, by holding up the mirror, and by offering honest feedback. Because your coach is on your side, you can say what you are really thinking. And that’s often where the real solutions come from. The coaching relationship also provides a structure for getting things done. You’ll receive the kind of support, affirmation, accountability and follow-up structures you need to maximize your performance. You can get more done with a coach than you can on your own.